Peacemakers Progress

Elian grew up in Lebanon, a Middle Eastern country bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Syria.

For 16 years, war was all she knew.

At one point, her family was even forced out of their home.

andquot;Others lived in our house. Other people had their memories there,andquot; she says.

Elian's family relocated to northern Lebanon, a less violent area of the country.

But her life was still immersed in war.

andquot;We had to pass 12 checkpoints on the way to high school,andquot; she says. andquot;It took four hours to get there and four hours to get back.andquot;

The war ended in 1991.

Elian, 29, is now a journalist, working at a Beirut newspaper called andquot;An-Naharandquot; andquot;The Dayandquot; in English.

andquot;Our symbol is the rooster,andquot; she smiles.

She is also a Presbyterian Peacemaker, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She travels through the U.S. sharing her story about growing up in Lebanon and raising awareness for the need for peace.

Elian was in Baker City on Tuesday, visiting high school geography classes during the day and speaking to a gathering at the First Presbyterian Church Tuesday evening.

She spent a great deal of time describing the war for the high school students.

The fighting started because of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Elian said, when the Palestinians began fleeing to Lebanon in 1975.

In 1982, Israel invaded the country.

andquot;So (the Lebanese) decided to fight back. Believe me, it wasn't a very easy thing to grow up with,andquot; Elian said. andquot;In the news, it was Muslims killing Christians in a civil war.